Interference
by Almadynis Rayne
Summary: After the wedding-that-wasn't, Anya makes a wish that Xander will find his soulmate. Who knew that would be an immortal magicial with a grudge? Crossover with The Mummy. Mild Slash.
1. Chapter 1

bInterference/b

Beginnings

Almadynis

Disclaimer: I don't own The Mummy or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They are the property of Universal Studios and Mutant Enemy (as well as other people, but none of them are me).

AN: While the plot is completely mine, I must give credit where it is due and say a huge thanks to Sio on Twisting the Hellmouth for the inspiration her "The Wonder of Reading" fic and its sequel "The Wonder of Sequels" (which is very good by the way, go read it!) gave me. Thanks!!!! *BIG huggles!*

AN2: This takes place after "The Mummy Returns" and in season six of Buffy.

Now, on to the fic!

*****

Imhotep watched. His heart was being ripped apart and all he could do was watch. A part of him was screaming at her, but the part that won just watched; immobile as his love ran from him.

He glanced over at the man that had given him so much trouble. Something passed between them though if you asked him, he would not have been able to tell you what it was exactly.

After what felt like eternity to the immortal mage, his eyes went back to watching his love's back disappear around the stone corridor. Then, that part of him that was still screaming finally won, and he watched his hands let go of the edge of the abyss and watched as the sliver of light from above faded and vanished. His heart finally getting in reality what he had already experienced.

And the world darkened to him, though it didn't leave, the only thoughts left that of his memories. Over and over he experienced. Saw and felt his love leave, never looking back. Many times he also watched his enemy's own love save him against his wishes. Neither woman obeying their man; though one proved her love and one betrayed hers. Hell had that effect. Forcing Imhotep to see and experience that moment forever, until that one moment consumed him, leaving nothing left.

***

Xander watched. His heart was breaking in two and all he could do was watch. He could hear himself screaming in denial, but as Buffy wasn't reacting to the sound with her right beside him, he knew it was only in his mind. Intellectually, he knew he was standing and silent, yet still he felt the world tilt on itself and the place where his heart lay dropping to his feet as he heard himself scream endlessly in dissent. His fiancé, his love, the woman he had dedicated three years of his love, was fucking someone else. And all he could do was watch.

Watch as the bleach blond man slammed into the woman he had made love to over and over again. With each jolt and sway of his love, he felt another piece ripped from his heart. Over and over, confetti rained down around his feet until nothing remained.

An unnatural calm settled over his mind, allowing him to see that Buffy had finally moved to yank the pair apart. He saw that Spike had casually lounged back against a bookcase even as Anya met his brown gaze and paled, starting to jerk on her clothes as the shame suffused her eyes. He just watched with a blank expression, nothing left.

After a second or two of meeting her own look with his own, he turned softly and walked away.

***

Hallie watched. Her heart, for what it was, was wrenched between helping her friend and helping the boy who was just, if not more, broken than Anya was. A small sigh escaped her as she made her way to her old friend and sat down beside her.

"How are you doing sweetie?" her voice was gentle and understanding despite the torn feeling in her chest.

Anyanka looked up at her and Halfrek could see the conflict. "I don't know. A part of me hates him for leaving me there like that but another part of me still loves him. I think I wanted to make him hurt as much as he hurt me…" she drifted off, gazing into her drink as if the answers lay there. Maybe they did.

"You know all you have to do is say it."

Anya nodded but didn't meet her eyes. Hallie was able to feel her friend's emotions and conflict and then, all of a sudden, it disappeared. A small smile filled Anya's face, "I don't love him. I never did. I just wanted what he could give me." She paused a moment, then continued, "I wish—"

Halfrek's eyebrows rose but she sat up straighter at the prospect of this job.

"I wish that Xander could find his soul mate. That one special person that's just right for him. I wish that Xander would find his soul mate and that they fall in love with each other so that they can live a full and healthy life together."

Hallie felt her nod and a small smile crossed her face as she thought for a moment, searching the cosmos for that perfect specimen for Alexander Lavelle Harris. She let her face shift to it's true form, though it was more of necessity than anything else, and whispered, "Done," before disappearing into oblivion. It was Sunnydale, no one would notice and she had work to do.

***

Xander sat in his apartment, staring blankly into space. He barely heard the country music the radio was playing in the background. It had been several days since the Incident at the Magic Box and he had yet to move from his recliner except to go to the bathroom. He had even slept in it, the little he did sleep. How could he sleep when all he saw was his love under Spike, gazing into his brown eyes, and not even caring that he could see. He knew the images weren't true, but he couldn't help it.

Then, for no reason that he could think of, he blinked. The blurred vision went away and he was able to see the black object on the otherwise white kitchen counter. His head cocked to one side as he realized he had been staring at a book. It was sitting high on the bar and he wondered how he could have missed it. It must have been one of the books he had "borrowed" from the Magic Box for a cramming session of research before the wedding and forgotten to take it back. It could have been sitting there for who knew how long.

Xander sighed and reached out, grabbing the book and pulling it into his lap. As the book was higher than his eyes, he didn't see the hexagonal box laying on top and was hit in the head as it fell. "Ow!" One hand rose to rub the sore area as the other ran deft fingers over the black book.

It was black with black hinges on the right side that kept the book from being read, as if it was a diary. Egyptian hieroglyphics covered the front and back except for a unique scarab design in the middle of the front that was slightly depressed from the rest, but he knew better than to read any of it out loud. He could reason out what it said with little difficulty though, years of research in a library stocked full of ancient books pretty much had made him learn several dead languages just from survival. The front looked like a summoning spell for "the honored dead to defend the righteous."

He finished rubbing his head and picked up the hexagonal box made of the same black material as the book and began to turn it around. He noticed that one symbol, that of a scarab that looked remarkably similar to the one on the book, was split in half horizontally. He kept turning the box, and found the other half. Turning the box counterclockwise on the top while holding the bottom still, he aligned the two half-symbols. As soon as the scarab was complete, the top popped opened with a snap, making him jump a little. He let out a small breath and held the artifact so that he could analyze it. He raised an eyebrow at the way the unique shaped depression in the book exactly matched that of the new box's form. Shrugging in a what-can-possibly-go-wrong way, he set the box in the hole and twisted.

He jumped again as the latches snapped open. "That happens a lot with this book." He opened the front cover and began to read, silently to himself.

***

Eyes watched him, smiling gently. Since she was a justice demon, she had to make the wish have consequences. But before she could do that, she had to alter a little perception here, a little language barrier there and then get the boy to say the magic words…

***

Xander frowned at a particular passage and on impulse, began to read it aloud in what he heard as English. However, if anyone else were in the room with him, they would hear a long-dead language that only a few people could pronounce correctly, and most of them were dead.

"The life mate of the One Who Sees can be found dwelling in the darkness from which there is little escape. The Betrayer, after twice been set upon the sands, will once again be summoned in the Valley of the Sun, where he will earn his just reward."

If another happened to be hearing what Xander iactually/i said, it would be more like "Amun Ra. Amun Dei. Sueh ah harem uk toob. Sin matse betbiah Imatep supikeh setsueh. Yahtueh yahtueh yahtueh."

The wind picked up and Xander's eyes widened as he realized the windows weren't actually open in his apartment. "Ooooh crap." Sand seemed to come out of the walls themselves, creating a dust devil in the middle of his living room and coalesce into a vaguely humanoid form. The sand melted away to reveal a bandaged mummy, but before Xander could react to the disgusting image, skin and muscle folded over itself and into a…man. A very naked man. "Holy guacamole. Giles is sooo going to kill me."

***

Hallie giggled to herself as she adjusted the parameters even more so, making sure that everything would go as she and Anya wanted while still having consequences. She sat back with a contented sigh and a bag of hot popcorn, settling in to watch the scene unfold. The rest was up to them.

***

Imhotep took the first few moments of his fourth incarnation to revel in the lack of pain, the sight of something other than his love leaving his side, and scrunch his toes imperceptivity in the carpet to get a feel for the surface. It took him a few seconds to realize that there was a man in front of him. After all, most ran from him, not stay and speak to themselves.

The man sitting before him was drawn and pale, as if he was malnourished and hadn't seen the sun for many days. His brown eyes held a pain that Imhotep could relate to, as his heart felt the same, even as different emotions overrode the hurt, mostly amazement, denial, and worry. The style of dress had changed somewhat since his last incarnation as well. The man was wearing a bright, flimsy tunic that only covered him from the waist up and dark blue leggings from the waist down, while his feet were left bare. Imhotep recognized poverty when he saw it, as he had spent most of his growing years there. He himself had spent the first score of his years without sandals.

Imhotep was driven out of his thoughts, which really didn't take that much time, as the man got to his feet. He saw the man set the Book of the Dead and the Key off to one side on a nearby high table, when the man began to speak. Imhotep raised an eyebrow at the language that was similar to what the boy had spoken, but different. He had learned the boy's language through his magicks and connection to the Bracelet of Anubis, but a few of this man's words were so strange that he had to wonder if this was a different language entirely. But, the man had to know Egyptian to summon him, so they would have to settle on a common tongue.

As Imhotep watched the man pace back and forth, he couldn't stop the small smile from his face as he recognized a fellow spirit in the young one. He didn't even try to stop his obvious erection, but he doubted the other noticed as he didn't pause in his musings. So Imhotep took the precious time to look at the man, to observe not just his clothing, but his posture and the way he moved. His dark eyes watched as the man paced in such a way that it reminded him of a cat behind bars or testing the length of its leash. He saw the muscles every now and then that the free-flowing tunic revealed at odd moments. He observed that while the man had been pacing, he had never actually let Imhotep out of his line of sight, turning toward him rather than away. This man was a warrior as well as a scholar and had the makings of a mage. What potential in such a deceiving package…but what a beautiful package it was! A part of the immortal mage had to wonder how he had gotten over his memories of Anck-su-namun so quickly, but he brushed the thought aside, as he simply lived in the moment.

Imhotep's smile widened. There was more than one way to live in the moment.

***

"Okay, ummm…Hi? What are you doing Xander? He can't understand a word you're saying. Why should he? He's a nude Ancient Egyptian man…who is now getting aroused for some odd reason…that just appeared after you read from a book. That doesn't mean he understands anything you say at all. Okay, gotta think. How to deal with this? Ummm…call Giles? No, that's a stupid idea, Giles will freak and do one of his 'Good Lord's and then want me to put the gorgeous naked man back into the book. What do I do, ask him? And did I just say he was gorgeous? Damn, need to get out more. What about…"

At that moment, Xander was accosted by the 'gorgeous naked man.' The man had his tongue down his throat and all Xander could think was "Great googly-mooglies this guy can kiss better than Anya." But he had a good idea where the road went and put his hands on the man's chest and pushed. After spending six years fighting on the Hellmouth, and another three years working in construction, Xander was a little surprised to find he couldn't budge the guy. So, in typical Xander fashion, he pushed harder. It didn't reap the desired results.

The man pulled back alright, but it was with amusement in his eyes and a boner that had gotten a lot bigger than the last time he had looked. But Xander knew that if he didn't put his foot down, he would never get to later, and said in his limited Egyptian, "Hands off Xander."

The man's eyebrows rose as if he was king looking down on a subject and the subject suddenly had a interesting request. But as far as Xander knew, he could be Pharaoh…but by his state of undress he doubted it. Xander backed up a few feet as soon as the man's hands were by his side, ignoring the smirk, before he continued, "I am Xander. No hands on Xander."

The man suddenly barked a laugh and replied in flawless Egyptian, "I am Imhotep and I will touch you as much as I like."

Xander's eyes widened as he backed up more, but this time Imhotep kept pace and actually had him up against the bar counter, Imhotep's hips and chest pressing into his own and he thanked every god he could think of that he had clothes on, because if he was honest with himself, this man before him flipped every switch he had. It was all he could do to remain stiff and not moan in pleasure as Imhotep swooped down for another kiss, his arms coming up and around to hold Xander in place.

After a few moments though, Xander realized that he actually needed air, and his nose was blocked by the force with which Imhotep kissed. Xander pushed against the brick wall that was holding him, but to no avail. In less than a minute, Xander slumped in the Egyptian's arms, having fainted from lack of oxygen.

Imhotep looked down on his prize and gave his first real smile in over three thousand years. As gently as he could, he swung his boy's body up into his arms and then disappeared in a swirl of sand, making sure to take the Book and Key with them.


	2. Chapter 2

bInterference/b

Waking

Almadynis

Disclaimer: It's not mine. I have to deal with, you do too.

Warnings: Mild Slash. Kissing and looks, that's it.

Now, on with the fic!

************

Willow hesitantly knocked on her best friend's apartment door. When no one answered, she felt the slight uneasiness that had been bugging her for the last couple of days increase exponentially and she pounded harder on the cheap wood. All was silent. Using a small unlocking spell, the lock 'snicted' open and she went inside.

Everything was exactly like the last time she had seen it. Which was a little strange. Xander was horrible at cleaning. So, why were there no Twinkies wrappers anywhere? Then, she noticed a fine dust over pretty much every surface and gulped. She bent down, and ran a finger through it, closing her eyes, she 'saw' an unknown bald man lift an unconscious Xander into his arms, glare at a book and some box until they floated over to him, and then a swirl of sand later, was gone.

Willow jerked her hand away from the dirt…no, the Ancient Egyptian sand. For, she had recognized that man. And that uneasiness in her stomach went into a full-blown panic. She had to call Giles, and then she had to call the O'Connells. The only thing that overrode her worry was a single thought.

What would an immortal mage want with Xander?

***

Evelyn O'Connell paled as she heard the Willow-babble on the other end of the phone and understood most of it. She had met the little red-head last summer when the girl had accompanied her parents to a conference that she was teaching. The two had hit it off and eventually were telling each other all sorts of crazy stories. Evie's included the not-so-false ones of Imhotep and Willow's were of various demons. Apparently, the girl had believed her stories though, because here it was, some twenty years after Alex's adventure with the Bracelet, and he was back.

Imhotep was back.

And she couldn't put him back this time.

"RICK!!!"

***

Giles was busy cleaning his glasses for the gazillionth time when Willow finally finished telling her story. He had long since forgotten about his tea, had sat down before he fell down, and now that she was finally down…he had only one idea of what to say.

"It's the end of the world."

"Not again!" He turned to face his Slayer that had just walked into the store.

"I'm sorry Buffy, but for once there is nothing you can do. The only one who can stop the Betrayer Imhotep is the One Who Sees, and they don't even know if that person is male, female or neither." His voice was soft but firm. His eyes watched Willow pale even further as she sat down, but he also saw the flash of relief in Buffy's own eyes. Giles shook his head, put on his glasses, and rose to his feet.

"There is nothing we can do for Xander except pray."

As the door shut on his heels, he heard Buffy demand, "Xander? What has Xander got to do with the end of the world?" He sighed, she really had been losing herself lately. Her priorities were shifted…and there was nothing he could do. Maybe it was time for him to go back to England.

***

Imhotep watched his boy turn over in his sleep and a smile crossed his face once again. He had been doing that a lot lately; smiling. Ever since Xander had come into his life. You wouldn't think such a small change would have such a big impression, but it did. And Xander was his. He had given express orders to all of the servants that Xander was second only to himself, and to be treated with utmost respect, but that the boy was also his, and ihis/i alone. No one was to touch what was his. Ever.

Imhotep looked out of the room's great terrace opening and marveled at his new kingdom. He knew that his powers didn't really have a limit except by that given to him by Xander, since the boy had summoned him. But to truly see that in practice was marvelous.

The place where he had once made his home, was now his again. Egypt, all of Egypt, was his to command. By many prophesies, he was to rule the Earth, but that was a little big, too much work and too time consuming if he wanted any time to devote to his new master. But from what he did claim as his own, was beautiful. His current residence of Cairo was once again in its prime glory, as was the rest of his domain. Everything was as it was…and he ruled it all as Pharaoh. A little ironic, but amusing nonetheless.

Imhotep looked back down to his master, his boy, his…mate. He was still a little shaken and honored by that revelation. By prophesies made since his last incarnation, there was only one who was to hold his leash this time around. The famous One Who Sees, who was supposed to be his life mate. And here was his life mate, the One Who Sees, to hold him back from the world. Of course, Xander had already done that simply by existing. He didn't need to hold Imhotep's leash, Imhotep would do it himself just to spend more time with Xander.

Imhotep had discovered Xander's…condition while placing a sleeping spell on the boy. He had wanted everything to be perfect before the little one awoke, so had performed a simple spell to make sure it happened. Except it didn't. The magic had simply flowed over the boy, and back into him. It had never touched him. Imhotep was staggered, for in his own lifetime, he had received a message from a wise man who could see into the future, and he had told him that after many hardships, he would find peace with his soul mate. When asked how he would know this mate, the wise man had replied, "Your magicks will not even touch your mate's flesh, but your minds will always be touching." For many years, Imhotep had thought Anck-su-namun was his mate, as his magick couldn't touch her either, but he had never been able to touch her mind. It wasn't one of his gifts. Xander however, with Xander, once he had first hesitantly reached out, he wanted to live there.

Xander's mind was a tumult of differing emotions and memories all jumbled together. Several times, Imhotep had caught an image of himself in the images and smiled at the emotions that went with it. But he also noticed something. As long as he was touching Xander's mind, he didn't need spells. That was how, a sennight after he had first been summoned, his mate was still sleeping. All Imhotep had to do was plant a suggestion, and his boy just turned over to sleep in a different position. It made him smile all the more at how, while the little One Who Sees was in control, the control only went to him when Imhotep wished it to. But, he wouldn't tell that to the man just yet.

Let him figure it out for himself. Right now though, it was time to wake.

***

Xander groaned and rolled over, then paused. This wasn't his bed. He knew the feel of his bed, and this wasn't it. His bed was scratchier and Anya always had stolen the covers by the time he woke up the next morning, the covers were still there. He hadn't woken up with covers in two years. And why were the covers so soft and warm? And why was he naked?!

Xander shot up in bed, instantly awake as all of the memories of the previous few weeks flew into his mind. The wedding, the Incident, the Betrayal, the staring, the man…oh god. The man…was right in front of him with an amused smile on his face. Xander clutched the sheets to his waist and held tight. He would not be caught nude by this man, he would not! But then, how had he gotten naked in the first place if the guy hadn't undressed him while he was out? Oh god, he had been accosted by this gorgeous hunk! He had been taken advantage of!

Xander shook his head of the thoughts piling on top of one another and he cleared his throat to try and talk with this new turn in his fucked-up life. Egyptian, got to speak Egyptian, "Ummm…can I have my clothes back?"

The man looked even more amused. "Your clothes were unfitting of your status. They were given to the poor and I have provided you with new ones." He held out a set of white linen leggings, neatly folded.

"How…nice. Uh, thanks?" Xander, still clutching the sheet with a fierce grip, he unsteadily climbed out of the bed, only tripping once, and reached for the clothes, which were pulled out of his reach slightly and he gave a pleading look to the man.

The man, Imhotep he now remembered, smirked slightly, "I propose a trade. You may have the clothes, for a kiss."

Xander's brown eyes looked into the other's own dark brown in surprise. He remembered exactly how the last kiss had ended and he didn't want to faint again, but he ireally/i wanted some clothes! Wrapping a sheet around his waist from a bed that was bigger than a king-size (and he didn't even know they made them that big!) was awkward and unwieldy. He gave a long-suffering sigh, "Fine, but I'm doing this under duress."

Imhotep's eyes crinkled in silent laughter. He got to his feet so that they were on uneven footing, for the Egyptian was at least a head taller than Xander, and stepped close to him. Imhotep got really close, dipped his head and then just hovered there, staring at Xander. Xander stared back, it occurring to him that he would have to come the other part of the way to get his clothes. Stealing himself from reacting physically, he went the other little way, connecting their lips.

Xander barely stopped himself from moaning, but reacting physically was another thing entirely. The Egyptian was barely wearing more than he was, and he could feel his reaction intimately, that combined with the intensity of the kiss (that if he was honest with himself was enough to curl his toes) even the sheet and whatever Imhotep was wearing couldn't hide his erection. He felt the other man smile into the kiss, but it was gentle enough that he could still breathe in spurting intervals when Imhotep's tongue wasn't down his throat, but he rather liked it there. "Clothes!"

Xander jerked back, almost tripping back onto the bed with the force of it, as he remembered exactly why he had been kissing the Egyptian in the first place. He cleared his throat before trying again, one hand reaching for the leggings as he repeated himself, "Clothes…please." Didn't hurt to be polite

Imhotep smiled knowingly but did hand over the linen. "I am a man of honor." Xander took them quickly, turning around to change so that he wouldn't be seen, then made the fastest change of clothes in history. Of course, now Xander felt like he was wearing pajamas, but at least it was better than a humongous sheet.

"So, uhhh…where am I?" Xander couldn't help the question as he caught a look out at the terrace and what lay beyond it. A vast city with lots and lots of sand. Lots of sand.

"We are in the great city of Cairo, back to its once full glory." Xander looked back at Imhotep in confusion. Aparently, the man knew what question lay in his mind, because he answered it. "I have restored Egypt to what I remember of it from my own lifetime. It is as it once was many years ago, before your birth. I have made Cairo the center of that empire, though it wasn't in my time, but if you would prefer to live in another city, that could easily be changed."

Xander gave him a strange look, "No, I'm sure you found the perfect place for you to…rule from."

"For us to rule from, little one."

"What?!"

************

So, what do you think? I anxiously await reviews, they keep me writing!


	3. Chapter 3

bInterference/b

Three Days

Almadynis

Mucho thanks and huggles to Dr. X for the info on soporifics and their after effects, as well as lots of thanks to WSJ for sharing her knowledge of all things Egyptian.

Oh, and though the plot is mine, and apart from a character here and there that don't really make much difference to anything, none of this is mine.

Now, on to the good stuff!

************************************************************************

Three days after Willow's phone call found the O'Connells once again in Cairo. Many hours on the phone with various people who lived in the area confirmed the red-head's story as well as getting even more information than they had expected. Apparently, Imhotep also had a prisoner.

They were on a rescue mission.

***

"I am not wearing this!" Imhotep couldn't help the smile that crossed his face at his mate's shout of defiance. It was his latest attempt to attire Xander properly, but it wasn't going so well. Even the littlest amount of finery had his boy up in arms. He did enjoy a challenge, but three days of attempts were making even him tired. He still couldn't help the smile though, because he knew exactly what was going through Xander's mind. Currently, the boy was wondering how he would keep Imhotep's hands off of him in that outfit. He couldn't blame the boy, it was a wonderfully done pair of cream silk leggings embroidered with gold cartouches of Imhotep's name.

In all the land, Xander was the only one allowed to wear leggings. Imhotep had had them all specially made for his mate. Everyone else in his kingdom wore the traditional shift or kilt, including himself. For several reasons, it let the wearer breathe better in the heat of the desert, move easier, and for those that guarded, fight more freely. Even Imhotep himself wore his traditional wrap-around that he felt most comfortable in. But for Xander, he would make an exception to the rule. Of course, the fact that it let his people know his mate by sight, even if they had never seen him before, was just an added bonus.

Imhotep was drawn out of his musings as Xander poked his head from around the door, not letting much of his body be seen as he hid. "I'm serious, Imhotep. I'm not wearing this! Why can't I just wear what I've been wearing? The white ones were fine." Xander used the hand that wasn't holding the door in a death grip to brush his brown hair back from his eyes. Just that simple movement made Imhotep's blood warm. "Ooooh, no…I know that look. You want to kiss me. You kissed me this morning!"

"Then I would suggest you get out of my sight if you want to remain at one kiss for this rising. You are very delectable this day." Xander's face blanched even as Imhotep heard his mate think how wonderful it would be for him to do exactly that. Once again, he couldn't help the smirk that filled his face.

***

Xander felt his face drain of blood even as he pictured exactly how nice it would be for Imhotep to kiss him again, and he ducked back behind the door, closing it with a nice sound of finality. Not that it would hold Imhotep for long…or at all. He had learned that from experience in the bathroom.

Xander pulled off the fancy pants and grabbed the normal white ones that were so comfortable. He really didn't know why it was so important to Imhotep that he wear something so…flashy. He already stood out like a sour thumb with his white skin (at least in comparison with everyone else in this country it was white) and his brown hair. Any more long days in the sun like yesterday where Imhotep showed him off to the city, and he would be blond and red. He might be from California, but he had spent most of the last decade iout/i of the sun patrolling when he wasn't doing construction. Come to think of it, he had spent most of his life blending in and not standing out. Now, Imhotep practically put him on display. Xander knew he was supposed to be ruling with Imhotep, but he didn't know anything about running a country. He could barely keep himself under control.

Xander sighed and sat down in the one chair in his room, his back facing the terrace. He knew that Imhotep would know if any sort of demon entered Egypt and felt perfectly safe.

On the heels of that thought, Xander felt a small pin-prick on the side of his neck. He swatted at the mosquito, and came back with a hypodermic needle. He had just enough time to think "Oh crap, not again" before the world went dark and he slid to the floor.

A white male that looked remarkably like Brendan Fraser came out from behind a curtain; he tossed a tranquilizer gun on the bed, the bounce making little noise, and quickly and quietly made his way over to the slumped figure. He gathered the surprisingly light man into his arms and was gone from the room.

All of it taking less than a minute.

***

Imhotep frowned. Something was wrong. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He strained his senses, stretching to the very boundaries of his domain, but felt nothing abnormal. All was well with the kingdom. So what was it? Perhaps it wasn't his feeling? Imhotep reached toward Xander with his mind, though he could always find the man with his mind, sometimes Xander would shut down a barrier between them in reaction to something he thought of.

That was actually how he had discovered that the telepathy between them wasn't his own power, but that of Xander's. It was Xander that let him into his mind, making the nearly constant contact an even more precious gift…which was now strangely absent.

Imhotep was on his feet as soon as he realized exactly what had put him on edge. He couldn't feel Xander. Even when Xander pulled down the barrier, when Imhotep touched his mind again, it opened like a rose all over again. Now…now, he couldn't feel anything. Where his mate's mind should be, there was a dark void. There was nothing there!

Imhotep ripped the door off its hinges, heedless that he might bring down the building in the process, and his brown gaze moved around the Consort's apartments, not leaving a corner unchecked. The gun was turned into a ball of useless metal while the mage gathered an image of who had last touched the thing that had harmed his mate.

Imhotep's scream of rage shook the very foundations of the Cairo palace, and spurred the pilot of a nearby plane to add some extra gas.

***

"Are you sure you got the right one? He doesn't look like much. What would Imhotep want with him?" A young man's voice broke through Xander's grogginess, making him moan softly as the nausea set in. A hand came to the back of his neck, making Xander flinch away from the touch. A female's voice tried to sooth him, a hand once again touching his neck, "It's alright. You're safe now."

Xander risked opening his eyes, only to shut them quickly at the bright light. Blinking in quick succession, he let his eyes adjust and looked around. The woman was beside him, clothed in a black Arabic dress. She had dark brown hair like his own with brown eyes, as did the man across the way from them. Another man stood with the other, though he was in Arabic black and had black hair and eyes, a sword hilt could barely be seen in the folds, while the other was in a more traditional American outfit, guns strapped to his body in various easy-to-reach spots.

"Who the hell are you and how did I get here?" Xander's voice was a little gravelly, but it was easily understandable.

The others exchanged a look. The woman spoke, "I'm Evelyn, that's my husband Rick. The dark one is Ardeth and my son Alex is the one flying."

The American-dressed man, Rick, took it up from there, "We rescued you from a madman named Imhotep."

Xander looked at them all like they were crazy, which they probably were. "You rescued me? Uh-huh…and why don't I remember getting on a plane?"

Rick started to shift his weight a little, a bad sign in itself, "I shot you with Versed."

"And that is?"

He cleared his throat, "A soporific."

"What i—wait. You shot me?!" Xander's voice rose an octave at the end, making everyone wince. "I've been beaten. I've been stabbed. Hell, I've even been thrown, but you ishot/i me!?! What'd I ever do to you?!"

Rick coughed while the Arabian had looked intrigued since Xander had started listing all the things he had been through. "We were rescuing you?"

Xander turned his glare on full, trying to ignore the queasiness in his stomach that the drug had given him. Damn, he hated sedatives! "Rescuing me from what? Tell me that! So far, the only thing that has hurt me is iyou/i!"

Evelyn frowned at him, her English accent reminding him of Giles. Of course, in the ten days he had been gone, they still hadn't contacted him in any way. Not even Wills doing her mumbo-jumbo. It made him a little sad and disappointed that they didn't care that much for him, but then again, he wasn't surprised. They had left him alone for how long after the Incident? No one had come over…no one had cared enough… "Imhotep didn't hurt you?"

"If you call kissing me to fainting, hurting. Sure…but he's a damn good kisser. Don't tell him I said that. You on the other hand…iyou/i he will probably torture or disembowel and if you're lucky…you'll die at the end. Seriously, I've only known the guy a few days, but he's got a really good imagination." Xander explained to them the facts of life with a straight face, utterly serious.

"Alex…turn around."

"Good choice."

***

The presence entered his mind so suddenly that Imhotep staggered slightly. He seized upon the touch and relief flared through him that his mate was safe, and apart from a few minor side effects, was perfectly fine. So, instead of killing the O'Connells he'll just torture them to within an inch of their lives…and he had something special planned for Ardeth-Bay…

A whirlwind of sand started up and headed north as a plane began to slowly turn back south, the sandstorm shifting ever so slightly to stay in the plane's path, as if it knew exactly where the flying machine was and would be.

***

Xander's nausea was finally gone and they were almost halfway back to Cairo. Sometime in the past few days he had noticed that he could always tell where Imhotep was even if several rooms separated them. About the same time, he started to notice that he would get stray thoughts that idefinitely/i weren't his. Just random thoughts, and the more he thought about it, the louder and clearer they got. And if he closed his eyes at just the right moments, he would even get images.

Xander knew he wasn't a genius, but even this was a no-brainer. He was getting things from Imhotep's head. And right now, he knew exactly how far away the man was…not very. He looked to the pilot and cleared his throat, "Uh, that sandstorm up ahead…it's not a sandstorm. I'd land if I were you."

He watched as the twenty-something year old slammed on the breaks and started the landing sequence, shouting behind him, "Hold onto something!" Xander felt in his mind Imhotep acknowledge the white flag; felt him calm just a tad more. He might convince the mage to let them live yet.

The plane took a swan dive into the sand, Xander already jumping out of the hanger door as soon as he would survive the trip. Imhotep suddenly appeared before him, wrapped his arms around him and held him close, nearly cutting off his air…but strangely, Xander didn't really care. He turned his head up to the man that had turned his life on its head, the man that made him feel small as he was a good eight inches taller, and watched as Imhotep's lips came forward and he rose on his toes to meet him.

Xander didn't even try to stop anything this time. For some reason, he felt they both needed the reassurance that the other was actually there, and not a figment of their dreams, or an image that the other had projected. He let out a soft moan, let his toes curl of their own free will, and didn't even try to hide the instant hard-on he got from the steaminess of the kiss.

In his mind, Xander 'heard' Imhotep start to babble about how he had been so worried, about what he would do without him, what he would do to the world if Xander ever was harmed, what he would do to the O'Connells as soon as Xander stopped tasting so good…

Xander snickered at the last one, pulling away to laugh. He saw Imhotep give him a strange look, but he was laughing too hard to answer and just sent an image of a Xander-flavored ice cream. He watched as Imhotep got the visual and started to laugh himself, diving down for another kiss.

***

Rick stared. This was…unexpected, to say the least. The boy not only iwasn't/i being hurt, it looked like he was loved. Imhotep loved Anck-su-namun, didn't he? When did he become gay? And wasn't some One Who Sees supposed to be Imhotep's soul mate? Was Xander him? But he supposed at the moment it didn't really matter. The world was safe, as long as no one was stupid enough to mess with Xander. Which reminded him…they had to be going now.

Rick gestured for Alex to start up the plane again, but apparently they weren't that lucky. Imhotep caught the motion and pulled away from the hot kiss. The mage put one arm around Xander's shoulder while he let the other drop to his side as brown eyes stared deeply into his own.

Imhotep's voice was just as he remembered it, too. Of course, it was in Egyptian. Evy translated, paling considerably at certain points, "You broke into my palace, shot my Consort, and tried to kidnap him. You only live because Xander wishes it, for if it we up to me, I would kill you all. However, I will let you all go freely if Ardeth-Bay comes to live in my home and works for me. After one year and a day, he may leave if he so desires, but before that, he will serve me and mine. What do you choose?"

Rick could just stare as him mind tried to process everything. He could see Evy doing the same. He saw Ardeth nod in his own agreement of the terms.

Imhotep nodded, and replied in perfect, if accented, English, "Done. Ardeth, you are now in charge of guarding Xander. He will be your soul concern, against any and all, even if the O'Connells are stupid enough to come back, even against myself if need be." Rick saw Xander give Imhotep an odd look at that comment, the mage shrugged, "Who better to protect you when I cannot than one who has beaten me not once but twice?"

"Well sheesh, when you put it like ithat/i," Xander groused good-naturedly. "Come on Ardy, let's go home. Better watch the landing though, traveling my sandstorm is a bitch on the stomach."

************************************************************************

So, whatcha think? Reviews please!


	4. Chapter 4

bInterference/b

Confrontations and Discoveries

Almadynis

Thanks to spanderfan for the nickname! *still laughing*

Standard disclaimer (do I really have to do this every chapter?) applies like normal.

I'm also looking for a beta, if anyone is interested. I try to catch my mistakes, but no one is perfect. On that note, I found two different spellings for magi. Doing some intensive rewinding and listening to context, I have concluded that "magi" refers to the collective whole and "medjai" is a single magi. If this is incorrect, please tell me so I can fix it. Thanks!

Now, on to the fic!

***************************************************************

Ardeth-Bay faced the council of what was left of the twelve tribes. Since they had helped defeat Anubis' army, only two-hundred Magi remained and eight tribes. While he was still the leader of those tribes, even he was subject to scrutiny and currently, his sanity was being decided.

"You are working for the creature! How do we know you are not under his spells?"

"What were you thinking?"

"How could this happen?"

"Our leader has lost his sense—"

"Preposterous, it can't be—"

"All lies!"

"SILENCE!"

The assembly quieted down immediately at Ardeth's cry. His glares kept them silent as he gathered his thoughts to adequately explain himself. "I have spent a sennight with the creature and the man named Xander. In that time, I have observed the interaction between them and have come to several conclusions. Xander is the prophesied One Who Sees, and is in almost constant telepathic contact with the creature. Xander is the only one who can control the creature to any extent. He is the only one who can kill the creature, and he is the only reason the creature has not already taken over the world. What the man Xander ihas/i done is admirable. He has started to make Egypt a better place, for all of us. Xander has shown honor, compassion, and humility in the face of all the riches the creature has tried to give him.

I do not protect the creature. I protect Xander. Xander is the ionly/i reason any of us are still living, and I plan to make certain that man lives a very long, healthy life." Ardeth turned on his heel and walked away. Let them chew on that. He had more important things to do.

Like making sure his charge didn't do anything stupid.

* * *

It had been a week since Willow had gotten the call from the O'Connells. What they said was preposterous. Xander kissing a demon? Okay, that wasn't that unusual, but Xander kissing a iguy/i?! That was just…not Xander! He had to be brainwashed, or under some spell, or possessed…or something. Cause Xander just doesn't do those things!

After a week of trying, Willow had finally found a spell that would teleport her and one other person into Egypt. These days, it wasn't so easy. The head honcho had somehow made it impossible for anyone with any type of supernatural connection on their side of the barrier. Which was really cool, if she was on the same side as Xander!

So, with Buffy beside her armed to the teeth with various weapons hidden all over her person, Willow said the final phrase and sprinkled the power. Both women vanished in a puff of green smoke, on their way to rescue their friend.

* * *

Ardeth had requested time to speak to his people, and Imhotep was seeing supplicants. Which meant Xander had some free time, at least for the next few hours. He made his way through the Cairo marketplace, usually it wasn't that hard. People parted and bowed before him like he was some kind of king. It made getting to places easier, but if he just wanted to sight-see, it sucked. So, he was in camouflage.

Xander had on one of his servants white wrap-arounds, kohl around his eyes like everyone else, and he tried to blend in. He wasn't doing that bad a job either as no one seemed to recognize him. He kept silent as he made his way through the crowd, listening for comments on the new leaders.

"Master Xander fixed my house yesterday!"

"Ever since Lord Imhotep came, there has been no crime, did you notice?"

"Of course I noticed…and did you realize that no one has gotten sick?"

Xander couldn't help but smile. That last one had been his idea. After the airplane incident, he had wondered if Imhotep could make drugs not work, which had lead him to think. If there weren't any drugs, people wouldn't be able to treat sickness…but what if there weren't any sick? He had talked it over with the mage, who had admitted that it hadn't occurred to him, and he immediately put it into practice. Imhotep even made special modifications to that specific spell so that, while no one would get sick, they would still develop immunities. That way, if anyone wanted to visit relatives or go outside Egypt for whatever reason, it wouldn't kill them.

Xander glanced down at his wristwatch and grimaced. He was about out of time; Ardeth would be coming to look for him soon. He liked Ardeth a lot, he was a good bodyguard and even helped him once in a while when Imhotep started to be unreasonable, but the man was like pennies. He was everywhere that Xander was, and it was starting to drive him up a wall. He never got any private time anymore. Even when he was in the bathroom, Ardeth was right outside the door! It was annoying…not to mention embarrassing.

The second-in-command for all Egypt was about to head back toward the palace when he caught sight of something very distinctive. Bright red hair. Willow! He took off after his best (and only) childhood friend, running to catch up. Vaguely, he heard his name being called and people looking around for their leader (one of them anyway), but paid neither any heed. He had to get to Willow!

* * *

Ardeth-Bay, one of the only people allowed black clothing, stood in the middle of the marketplace, staring intently at the crowd, looking for one particular head of hair. When he had gotten back to his charge's rooms, he had found a note. Fortunately for him, he knew how to read English. Unfortunately, Xander had decided to go to the largest gathering of individuals within a thirty-kilometer radius. The best place to hide is in plain sight, and Xander was doing a wonderful job.

Ardeth finally let himself breathe a sigh of relief as he finally saw the Consort's distinctive hair in a sea of black and white and tan. He set off for the far corner, intent on getting Xander safely back to the palace and not so close to so many people. Didn't the boy know how dangerous a crowd could be? Ardeth growled softly under his breath as suddenly, Xander took off running. Since he knew that the boy couldn't have known he was there, and was therefore not running from him, Ardeth called out him name. Several times, loudly enough that most of the marketplace hit the walls to see their rulers. It gave him room to run after his charge, but all that was going around his mind was what could have happened that would make the normally level-headed man act so strangely?

Not for the first time, the Medjai wished he had some way (beyond yelling) to contact either Xander or Imhotep.

* * *

Willow felt the compulsion spell take effect as soon as Xander was within range. Buffy was a hundred yards ahead of her, making sure that neither of Xander's constant bodyguards showed up to crash the party. It was sheer luck that they had come on one of the only days where Xander was alone for more than a few minutes. Then, all they had to do was find him…which had admittedly taken a bit. But now that they had, everything was running smoothly.

Then she heard Xander's name being called. Willow knew Xander wouldn't pay any attention because of the spell, but she heard it loud and clear and cursed under her breath. This would take fast work. All she had to do was trigger the ready-made spell to take them all back home, but anyone touching her would come to, and if either Xander or Buffy iweren't/i touching her, they would be left behind. Neither option was particularly appealing.

The red-head headed toward an outcropping that had very little people and felt Xander closing in on her. Buffy would be coming too, and as soon as they were all together, she would activate the spell.

Willow saw Xander fully now as he came through a section of several people and she had to bite back a cry of denial. He looked like a sex-object. The close-fitting kilt barely came down to his knees, and was tight enough that it accentuated almost everything. His face was outlined in kohl like some regular servant, but with some added red tinge that gave him a come-hither look. Xander was a slave. Willow had to admit it to herself, and was cursing how long it had taken to find the right spell to come after him. She could only imagine what he had been through. Poor Xander!

Xander was finally within reach and Willow pulled him into her arms as she felt Buffy drop down from above. Apparently, the slayer had found the roofs to be the most strategic spot, and Willow had to agree as she commented, "Black Arabic dude coming this way, shouting for Xander."

Willow didn't really need to be told, as the man in black was close enough that she could see him clearly. Making sure no one but Xander and Buffy were touching her, she said the magic phrase, the one thing she'd never say without a damn good reason, "Frogs!" and the three of them vanished in another puff of green smoke.

* * *

Ardeth cursed violently and fluently in several different languages. While he had gotten a pretty good picture of what the two kidnappers looked like, he hadn't seen where they went, or even in which direction. They had simply disappeared. It was instantaneous, and complete. There even weren't any footprints leading away from the area! In all his long years of fighting, Ardeth had never seen anything like it.

Shaking his head in anger and dismay, Ardeth took off in the opposite direction to head off Imhotep. The creature had to have known the second Xander was no longer in the vicinity, and would be after the villains immediately. If he could only reach the mage in time, he would be able to keep most of the world safe from Imhotep's wrath. He just had to run a ilittle/i faster…

* * *

Xander was hugging Willow for all he was worth, laughing as he picked her up and spun her around. His bestest bud in the whole world had finally come to see him! Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Buffy and pulled her into the hug as well.

He started talking in a professional Willow-babble as soon as he could pull two thoughts together, which was even before he had let them go. "It's so good to see you! How have you been? Any apocalypses I miss? How's Tara and Dawn? Where're the others? What's going on with the triple twerps?" By this time, the two girls were standing in front of Xander, both grinning widely and Willow had happy tears glistening in her eyes. "Oh, it so nice to you bo—" His brain had finally taken the time to absorb what his eyes had been seeing and hearing and his brain stuttered as his orbs darted around, getting wider the more they roamed. "Uhh, guys? Why are we at the Magic Box?" His voice was small and hesitant of the answer.

"I teleported us here with a trigger-spell. Buffy stood watch while I got you…we rescued you." Even though Xander had known what the answer would be before he asked, it still made him want to grab the edge of the nearest table and groan. In an effort to stave off any other "rescue" attempts (mainly from Imhotep), he went into his mind, closing his eyes to help with the distance, and reached for the man that had been his constant companion for over a week. Xander's eyes snapped open when he realized that he couldn't feel Imhotep at all…not even a little. This had never happened before! Never! Imy was always there when he needed him…where was he?

Xander's voice was almost too low to be heard, sounding equal parts hollow, angry, and panicked. "Why can't I feel Imy?" A week ago, when he had woken, Imhotep had been there, and since then their link had constantly been open. He had told Imhotep that it was for safety reasons, but now that he wasn't there, Xander had to admit, to himself at least, that he had fallen for the guy, hook, line, and pitchfork. When Xander looked up at Willow, he knew his eyes were a little "misty" and tried to put all of his emotions into that look, to help Willow understand whatever she had done.

He saw Willow blanch a little and nodded, both to himself that she had understood and to her, acknowledging what she suspected. "Oh goddess, Xander…I didn't know. I never would have…not if I had known…I'll fix it." She practically ran out of the room, up into the loft where the more black-magicy-type books were kept.

Buffy was looking at him intently, almost as if she were staring through him. When her eyes refocused, she smiled at him gently before taking him into another hug, this one much gentler and more congratulatory. "I'm happy for you, Xander. Don't worry. Willow will fix it." She brushed a tear away from his cheek with a hand as she led him over to a chair and pushed him into it slightly. "I'll go see if I can find Giles."

And that easily, Xander lost track of time, he had more important things to ponder, while he almost constantly had his eyes closed, trying over and over to reach out to his…his love…ihis/i love…his ilove/i…

* * *

Ardeth came to a running-halt as he stared at Imhotep, who was staring off into space from his throne. Ardeth's eyes frowned as he stepped closer and waved a hand in front of the creature's face, getting his attention and focus. "Lord Imhotep?"

"Xander's gone again."

"Yes. Two women took him in a puff of green smoke. I tried to track them, but there was no trail to follow."

"Hmmm…" Imhotep went back to staring out into the vast room, the sound more of an acknowledgment that he had heard, than of thinking. He was only halfway paying attention. When he finally did speak again, some minutes later, it was almost in absent thought, as if he had forgotten Ardeth was even there, "That's not Xander's barrier…I can feel that he is there and thinking of me, but I can not reach him."

Ardeth's eyes widened a little. Something stronger than the creature? He sent a prayer that this new something was on his side. While his tone never changed, his question was a little hesitant, "What could be stronger than you?"

Imhotep glanced at him, one eyebrow raised in a don't-you-know expression, "Xander, of course. He has shut me out before, but never on purpose and it came down when I asked, but this…it is as if he shut me out for an entirely different reason and something else is warping the original intent to prevent either of us from taking it down again. Simple, but effective if you wish to separate us by more than distance. To answer your unasked question, I did not go to his rescue because the two women you saw are his friends, and would not harm him. I was waiting for his return when I discovered that I could not reach him, and while I know the town's name in which he grew up, I do not know where it is to teleport there."

The Medjai stared at the crea—ruler, the pharaoh before him. Imhotep had gone and gotten a conscience when no one was looking. He gave the man a small smile, "You got your powers from the Hom-Dai and your knowledge of magery, how did Xander surpass you?"

Imhotep gave a fond smile for the man that was his mate. "When I discovered that the telepathy between us was not mine to command, I did some research on the One Who Sees. From that I found that my mate is not entirely human. Only enough to confuse things in spells and other things designed for humans only, but that small bit is there. That is what gives him his abilities, such as telepathy and my understanding of English. Soon, he will come into more, gradually at first, and he will become less and less Xander and more Alexander. Eventually, he will no longer be human at all, but that will be a while yet."

"But the only beings that are more powerful than you are—" Ardeth stopped cold as he realized just what he had been about to say, and all pretense of a stoic Magi left him, eyes wide with disbelief he could only stare as Imhotep, He-Must-Not-Be-Named, the Creature of Darkness, the Immortal Dark Mage just smiled at him and nodded.

"Xander is the descendent of the gods."

* * *

Giles came around the corner. He stopped to polish his glasses, put them on again, looked around and gave a heart-felt "Good lord." His statement brought the attention of everyone in the room but Willow, who was staring intently at a bowl of clear liquid that appeared to be water, but he knew by the smell in the air exactly what it was and that the book beside her was inot/i in the normal magic section. "What is she doing?"

Xander, dressed very seductively for someone who was supposed to be a prisoner, and he was not going down that thought path! Xander looked up at him, and Giles had to rethink his previous conclusion. The boy looked as if death would be a welcome gift, all his spirit and the vitality that was a normal part of his character was gone. What was left was only a shell of itself. "Willow's taking all of the spells off of me."

Giles glared at the red-head, for all the good it did him, and the blatant lie she had told. "That's not all she's doing. Why is she doing it?"

"Something is blocking me from talking to Imy and it's not her."

"It's the Hellmouth," the Watcher in him rose to the fore, after so long suppressing this side of himself, Giles knew that this happened only as a defense mechanism, but he would care about that later. "It's very nature is to warp and block all manner of natural occurring things, from spells to genetic mutations to personalities. Take your standard vampire—"

Giles forced himself to stop his monologue when he saw that no one was listening anymore. He knew the spell the young wiccan was trying to perform and was wise enough not to interrupt her. If he did, the results would be even more disastrous than if he let her finish. He sighed, "How long has she been like this?"

"Twenty minutes."

He nodded to himself, showing that he had heard. In a few more seconds Willow would be done and then he could batter her with questions on how much of an idiot she was.

* * *

Since he was the focus of the magic, Xander felt the spell like a cool breeze on his skin. He knew the instant it was done by the lack of it…and then he dropped to his knees and pain shot through his entire body. In his twenty-one years of life, he had never felt anything like this. It was all-encompassing. It ruled him, pouring through his body and mind like liquid lava, drowning out all but the sound of the rushing in his veins.

Suddenly, he felt a presence that had not been there before, or he had not felt them before, hold him close to their light. The pain receded some, but still lapped at his mind. He looked up into the light, wondering who had saved him and found a face that he felt he should remember. He knew that face, he knew he knew it. The name eluded him but still he reached up with one hand to cup this light's cheek. He knew this being…and it felt right somehow that he reach up and, following his instincts, kiss it deeply.

Sometime between the start of the kiss and the end, the pain that had caused this being to appear abated and disappeared. It was then that Xander's memories came back to him and he put at name with the face of light that held him so close. He smiled up at the man, looking deep into his eyes as he once more let his emotions—all of them—for this man shine through. "You came."

His rescuer, that in his fearful state had been received so readily for what it/he was, smiled down at him gently and nodded. "You needed me. I will always be here when you need me."

Xander felt a tear roll down his cheek as he smiled, "I'll always need you."

"Then I will always be here."

He kissed him again, even more deeply than before. When he pulled back, he let his forehead rest on the taller man's chest. "I love you."

"And I you, my lifemate."

Xander nodded again and closed his eyes, even knowing that all of this was occurring in his mind, he knew that it was real enough for his to smell that distinctive cinnamon and hot desert scent of his love's. "I have to go back now."

"I will be there when you do."

The One Who Sees smiled up into Imhotep's face, kissing him one more time before letting his consciousness go back to the "real world".

* * *

Willow smiled as she finished one of the few silent spells that happened to be one of the most dangerous to cast, but her Xander-shaped friend was worth the risk…

Xander let out a blood-curdling scream…and didn't stop. Her eyes snapped open, staring in horror at Xander's body started convulsing on the floor in front her, Buffy holding him as firmly as she could without hurting him, and he was still shaking and screaming himself hoarse, bucking in the slayer's arms.

Willow's mind refused to recognize what she was seeing for several long seconds, and before she could do anything, sand came out of nowhere, creating a miniature storm in the store. Between one blink to the next, a very handsome man was standing in the sand's place, though a thin coating was over everything, and in another eye blink, the man was shoving Buffy aside with no difficulty and he gathered Xander into his arms, closing his eyes and both men went very still.

Willow watched in silent horror as an even more chilling thing than Xander screaming began to occur. Xander was glowing. Only faintly, barely more than a this-needs-new-batteries flashlight, but it was there. After another minute, it disappeared and both men opened their eyes. She saw Xander smile slightly, barely able to hear him. "You came."

"You needed me. I will always be here when you need me."

"I'll always need you."

"Then I will always be here."

Finally, Willow's mind had a chance to process the event and tears fogged her vision. Her best friend had finally found someone who would love him as he was, no matter what, and would always be there for him. Everything would be alright.

* * *

Some time later, after many hugs (and a few kisses between two particular guys), introductions, threatenings with shovels, and admissions of lies where a certain spell was concerned and forgiveness freely given, things began to settle down. Xander was back to his normally bouncy, goofy self sitting in the lap of the new pharaoh of Egypt when he spotted a book in Giles' hand, forgotten before now. He gestured, "That for the new apocalypse?"

"Hmm? Oh this, no. I was doing research on you actually. I finally found a more specific passage in an obscure Latin dialect that I was coming down to try and translate more completely when I walked in on Willow's spell."

"Hey! I said I was sorry for that…and it worked didn't it? Now Xander has no spells on him, and no spells work on him."

"No earth-based magic works on him because of that highly dangerous spell. He and Imhotep have told us that Xander was immune to soul-based magic already."

"I still find it hard to believe that there are two kinds of magic."

Xander rolled his eyes, though his smile stayed in place, at the banter between the Watcher and the Wicca. "So what's it say about me?" He reached over to the huge book, it opening automatically to a page that appeared as if it had been referenced often. His eyes scanned the page briefly before going back to Giles, some confusion there. "You must be rusty on your languages, because this isn't Latin, or any sort of derivative. This is the root language Latin derived from."

He watched as Giles' eyes widened in shock, "You know it? You recognize it?"

"Recognize? G-man, I can read this easily." He failed to mention that he had known this particular language for as long as he could remember. He had tried to teach Jessie once, but his friend couldn't get past the weird symbols, asking why he had made it up, so he hadn't even tried to teach Willow. Until this moment, he had virtually forgotten about the childhood mistake. For years, he had to consciously force himself to write like everyone else. Then, for no reason he knew of, he had simply quit having to force himself and began to forget that he even knew it. Perhaps this was one of the Sunnyhell-influenced things that had been disbanded?

Giles' voice pulled him from his thoughts, "Really? Please, start there." He pointed and Xander looked, glancing over the passage when his eyes halted and then raced back up the page to the beginning.

"The One Who Sees as the Protector of Man will not know his abilities or his heritage, both being lost to the generations. He will use his abilities, with the help of the soul that resounds with his, to bring back balance to Home-That-Was and to Home-That-Is as well as to the rest of the stars.

"Before his twenty-second year, the Protector of Man will have brought back balance uncounted times to the place where all non-science intersects. If born in this place, his abilities will be suppressed more so than if not. If born in the place of his Responding Soul, these abilities will be brought forward, though he will not know how to control them and will suppress them of his own free will. If he does not find his Responding Soul before his twenty-fifth year, all will be lost and he will be born again.

"When the One Who Sees does find his Responding Soul in time, it will be revealed to him through any number of ways that he is of the Ancient line and will then be told to seek out the Legacy. If a Ring has not been found, he will have to begin again. If it has occurred that a Ring has resurfaced, he must seek out his heritage and claim that which is his."

Xander stopped reading, his mind spinning crazily from too many facts at once. All of the subtle nuances of this particular language couldn't be fully expressed in English, but the author was not only cataloging prophases in this very, very, very old book, he was sending out a welcoming hand. The words were chosen ever so carefully to have all the impressions of a coming-home, welcoming him into the fold of his ancestors. The author went on to tell him exactly where this Ring would most likely be, and the basics of how it worked so that all he had to tell him was the name of a few places he could go that the Imposters didn't know about (though it did explain the Legacy had been designed so that the Imposters couldn't use it) that he could access the Legacy. What it didn't say was what the Legacy was, who the Imposters or Ancients were, and half a dozen other things that would only make sense to someone who knew enough. Which Xander didn't.

Xander choked as he realized something. "My name is Alexander." His eyes went to Giles and Willow, who had been staring open-mouthed at him as he read, willing them to understand and connect the dots. They just gaped.

When they finally could find words, both said the same thing, "What happened to your eyes?!"

With a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach, he looked up into Imhotep's face, using their telepathy as a mirror. He saw himself, the emotions from his soulmate indicating that no matter what he looked like, he would still love him. Xander gave him a small smile and concentrated on his eyes, and his brow furrowed in confusion. They were still brown, but now they had small golden flecks of color around the iris. Not big enough to be noticeable from far away, but as close as the five of them were, all could easily see. Why hadn't it shown itself before when the pain had stopped?

Imhotep smiled down at him and leaned slightly to kiss him, "They are very becoming, Alexander." He had seen the eyes long ago, when he had held his love in the floor, but when he had read the book, the golden specks had become even more prominent, enough the others could see. He also knew why his mate was stutter on his own name. A very interesting detail that someone who didn't know any better would have missed completely, or even miss interpreted.

Xander's name actually meant "protector of man".


End file.
